The Best Fits In The 2017 NBA Draft
The 2017 NBA Draft order is set so we can now get down to the business of guessing who goes where and speculate about who will be looking to trade up, out or down. What follows is a look at the best fits available in this year’s draft class. These are the players who are ready-made for the team I’ve paired them up with and who could make the most lasting impact on that team.
Bear in mind, this is not who I think these teams will take, it’s just who fits their current roster the best. At each spot I took into account where the team is picking and who was likely to be on the board at that spot.
Feel free to tell me where you agree or disagree in the comments.
Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum, SF, Duke
Markelle Fultz will almost surely be the first player taken in the draft. If the Celtics keep the No. 1 pick, they will likely wind up with him. But this is about the best fit for every team and given the current construction of Boston’s roster, Jayson Tatum is the guy who could help the most right now.
With Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley entrenched as the team’s starting backcourt, the Celtics don’t need another guard. Fultz would likely struggle to find consistent minutes behind that duo. Meanwhile, Boston could really use an upgrade on the wing, and Tatum is the most polished, NBA-ready player in the draft. Josh Jackson could be a fit too, but he’s still raw and Boston is in contention. Tatum would provide an immediate boost, while also offering long-term growth potential.
Tatum already has an NBA body, can score at will, has perfect size for a wing player and can defend. What more could Boston want right now?
Los Angeles Lakers: Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA
Fultz is the best player in the draft, but Lonzo Ball looks like the best fit for the Lakers. The UCLA product’s skills align perfectly with what LA coach Luke Walton wants to do. He makes his teammates better, willingly shares the ball and finds guys with precision passes in tight windows. He’s exactly what the franchise needs to boost it’s offense.
Walton and the Lakers want to play a wide-open style in which every player has a role. Ball is a guy who will help facilitate the growth of that kind of system. Plus, he and D'Angelo Russell would actually pair well in the backcourt, as their playing styles matchup really well. If either ever decides to play a lick of defense the Lakers could wind up with one of the NBA’s best backcourts.
Philadelphia 76ers: Malik Monk, SG, Kentucky
The 76ers don’t need a point guard if Ben Simmons is healthy, so De'Aaron Fox isn’t a real fit at No. 3. Jackson is a possibility, but truly the best fit is Kentucky’s Malik Monk. The Sixers need scoring and Monk can fill it up. He’s a phenomenal outside shooter, something the roster doesn’t currently have. Among the team’s regulars, only Nik Stauskas shot better than 36 percent from 3-point range last season.
With Joel Embiid hopefully back at 100 percent, Simmons, Dario Saric and Jahlil Okafor, the team doesn’t need more size. The only thing truly missing is a fill-it-up perimeter scorer, and Monk is the best one in the draft. He would finalize what could be a devastating starting five for opponents to deal with.
Phoenix Suns: Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas
The Suns were one of the biggest losers during the draft lottery on Tuesday night, but landing the fourth pick is a decent consolation prize. At this spot they could be in position to land the player many have as the top talent in this draft. Jackson, a bouncy, uber-athletic wing out of Kansas, would be a steal at No. 4.
With Devin Booker and Eric Bledsoe entrenched in the backcourt and Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender and Alex Len in the frontcourt, Phoenix has some great young pieces. A two-way wing like Jackson would complete that collection of young talent.
T.J. Warren is only 23 and currently occupies the small forward spot, but Jackson will be far better in the long run. Warren can man the spot for now while the raw Jackson develops, but eventually the 20-year-old would take over, giving the Suns one of the league’s best young cores.
Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox, PG, Kentucky
The Kings currently have a young core that consists of Willie Cauley-Stein, Buddy Hield and Skal Labissiere. Now they need a point guard to bring it all together. Enter De’Aaron Fox who has an incredibly high ceiling and is one of the best defenders in the draft. If he’s on the board at No. 5, this should be a no-brainer.
Fox has work to do as a point guard, as he turns the ball over too much, but he’s so quick when penetrating that he opens up the floor for teammates. He’s a solid passer, has good court vision and though he’s only 6’3″ can finish at the rim thanks to his fantastic athleticism and long arms. Fox’s biggest issue is his jumper, which needs a lot of work, but he’s just 19 years old and has the makings of a star in the backcourt.
New York Knicks: Frank Ntilikina, PG, France
The Knicks need to secure a long-term answer at point guard and while several options will be on the table, Frank Ntilikina fits exactly what Phil Jackson loves at the position. The 18-year-old Frenchman is a pass-first point man who is lightning quick, an excellent defender and has plenty of international experience. Sounds like the perfect guy to select at No. 8 and pair with Kristaps Porzingis, right?
Ntilikina’s jumper needs work and he can be passive at times, but he’s still developing and should be fine in the long run. He’s 6’5″ (Jackson loves tall point guards) has a massive wingspan — which helps him when finishing and defending — and he can get to the rim with ease. As with any 18-year-old he must add strength and size, but watching him play is fun. Crowds at the Garden would love his flashiness. He’s also a willing defender, a huge plus in the modern NBA that is so point guard driven.
Dallas Mavericks: Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona
A tall European guy who can shoot and prefers to play on the perimeter? Is it me or is this pick at No. 9 far too obvious? Dirk Nowitzki is returning next season and I can’t think of a better mentor for Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen. The 19-year-old Finnish power forward had an excellent freshman year for the Wildcats and looks poised to make a smooth transition into the modern NBA.
Markkanen is a legit 7-footer, has a great long-range stroke out to the 3-point line and can move really well for a guy his size at 225 pounds. He tends to avoid the paint a bit too much on offense, but as he adds some bulk that could change.
The Mavericks have Yogi Ferrell, Harrison Barnes and Nerlens Noel on the roster right now, giving them three solid pieces under 25 years old. Markkanen would give that group a skilled big man to play off of, and it would give Dirk someone to guide in what could be his final season.
Denver Nuggets: Terrance Ferguson, SG, Australia
The Nuggets will be on the clock at No. 13 and if Terrance Ferguson is there, they should sprint to turn the pick in. The 20-year-old Texan spent the year playing professionally in Australia and showed himself to be a super-athletic shooter. He’s a rangy wing at 6’7″ and 180 pounds, shows flash at the rim with some incredible finishes and is already a really good perimeter defender.
The Nuggets have some nice building blocks in Nikola Jokic, Emmanuel Mudiay, Gary Harris and Jamal Murray, but adding another versatile wing who can shoot will pay off in the long run. Ferguson is a great shooter and is more athletic than any of the team’s other perimeter players. He’s the real deal and if given a chance to develop could be the perfect complement to Jokic on the wing.
San Antonio Spurs: Jonathan Jeanne, C, France
The Spurs will have the 29th pick in the draft and, as always, someone really good is going to fall to them. You can set your clock by it almost every year. LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard are great pieces to build a franchise around, but they could use some help in the post. Pau Gasol is 36 and can opt-out of his contract this summer, and San Antonio has had tons of success with foreign-born players. Enter Jonathan Jeanne, an absurdly tall rim-protector with ridiculous length.
Jeanne is 7’2″ with a 7’6.5″ wingspan, a 9’5.5″ standing reach and massive 10-inch hands. While he weighed in at just 207 pounds at the NBA draft combine, he played really well in the Friday scrimmage. He scored 14 pounds, grabbed nine rebounds and had three blocks.
Jeanne needs to fill out, but even if he barely develops, he’ll be a legitimate rim protector. The 19-year-old Frenchman already looks like a really good post defender. He also handles the ball well, can shoot a bit and moves really well for his size. This could wind up being another huge steal for the Spurs if Jeanne is on the board this late.